ever since our trip to bali, I’ve felt extra inspired to adopt cleaner eating habits and try new recipes. I have been really into making my own smoothies at home lately, and the one that I created moments ago is by far the tastiest one I’ve created yet! It’s also packed with a ton of vitamins and nutrients, and will give you a bit of an extra energy boost.* read below for a list of ingredients! *

ingredients:
(note: I don’t remember the exact amount for each fruit that I used, but I believe it is somewhere around 3-4 pieces of each. also I apologize for my super non-exact measurements.. you’ll probably see this style from me a lot, I tend to just wing it with my recipes haha).

I feel that this is such a great way to incorporate foods you might not be super fond of in to your diet (like spinach or other various greens – even though I personally like most greens). you can easily mask your least favored veggie of choice with a bunch of delicious fruits, and you won’t even taste it! yet you will still get all of its awesome nutrients. I always try to incorporate chia seeds and maca in to a lot of my meals, because they are just so so beneficial for you, and can be thrown into anything!

health benefits:

maca: rich in vitamins b, c, and e. provides lots of calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and amino acids. gives natural energy and increases endurance (it even boosts your libido ). relieves menstrual issues in women, as well as alleviating cramps, anxiety, depression, hot flashes, and mood swings (I have personally noticed that since I started incorporating maca in to my diet I have not had a single menstrual cramp nor have I had any sort of PMS symptoms, aside from the usual bit of breaking out that I do around that special time of the month!). supplies iron and helps restore red blood cells, which aids anemia and cardiovascular diseases. improves bone and teeth health. it even helps with decreasing acne/breakouts, as well as making skin less sensitive. need I say more?
(note: if you are not used to having maca in your diet, incorporate it slowly. it is a hormone balancer and a natural stimulant – don’t overdo it!).

chia seeds: high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals. chia seeds have TEN grams of fiber in just two tablespoons, which is seriously amazing. fiber helps with reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol, and regulating bowel function. and only two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 18 percent of the recommended daily intake for calcium, 35 percent for phosphorus, 24 percent for magnesium, and 50 percent for manganese. these nutrients help maintain a healthy weight, and boost metabolism. these are only *some* of the benefits of these tiny, yet amazing seeds.

magnesium: magnesium is so important for the body, and it heals in many incredible ways. magnesium can be found in lots of foods, such as spinach, nuts and seeds, lentils and beans, avocados, and many more. but I also like to occasionally use a magnesium supplement in my drinks to get a little extra boost. magnesium regulates hormones, assists with better sleep, relaxes the nervous system, boosts serotonin, loosens tight muscles and increases flexibility, remineralizes teeth, hydrates the body, enhances insulin secretion (which is very beneficial for those with diabetes), it also helps prevent strokes, menstrual pain, and migraines.
you know what else is really awesome that I just learned this past year? your body absorbs magnesium from swimming in the ocean! as if I needed another reason to love the ocean.

hopefully this inspires you all to incorporate some of these in to your daily diet, and try new things.
it’s amazing how good we can feel when we feed our bodies the right stuff =).